Pressure in head!!!!!!!

Sorry to hear that mate, how you feeling now? It's always worse for me when bending or even leaning over, I basically try not to do that anymore as I think I'd pass out. I'm feeling slightly better now but it's always there when I move my head. What did doctors say? We definitely need to get a group going, maybe email group or something. Recruit people who have this and try to get doctors and specialists to act on it. Problem we have is they sort of don't believe us and put it down to anxiety. Chill out and relax, I'm determined to find an answer.

They yet again tried to say anxiety, this made me really angery when he said it. I have suffered panic attacks and anxiety yes, but because of these symptoms, that's what they don't seem to accept. 

Anyway, the doctor in the end realised this is serious and destroying my life. Thankfully he could see the lumps and bums on my head where I had fainted, and also the injury to my shoulder since I obviously landed without breaking my fall. So he has finally referred me for a brain ct scan and a few more tests. After that he said a neurologist, then he said after that if all looks normal and you still feel like this then I have to try CBT. I honestly think somethign physical is causing this, whether minor or not I don't know, but I honestly don't think it is panic and anxiety now. 

I just don't know anymore. 

Well we have very similar symptoms so I can relate and believe me it's not anxiety. I've never really suffered from anxiety in my life until I got this condition and believe me I've found out how anxiety feels. I sort of know the theory as I teach psychology for part of my job. I have to wait 6 weeks to get refered for a CT scan, hopefully yours will show what's wrong.

Sorry to hear you passed out mate, hope they can sort something out for you I've been great today a little tender this morning but now great so do think the amitriptyline and naproxen are working.

Glad to hear your feeling better, if amitriptyline is working for you your pressure must be from a headache disorder. I'm thinking of giving amitriptyline a try but I'm not sure it will be that effective. For me, if I sit still for a few mins the pressure and headache eases and sometimes it's as if it isn't there. It starts when I move and bend over, I can feel the pressure moving inside my head depending on which direction my head goes. I'm currently doing a nasal spray, wash and sudafud. It's actually easing the symptoms a little which I believe shows my pressure is because of a blockage or trapped air

I feel like in my case the pressure is related to my neck/back somehow. I spent half the day at work yesterday helping on counter and I was fine I had slight pressure on top n on my forehead but it wasn't as bad as normal n easy to distract myself from, then I went back to driving the rest of the day (I work at napa) and within 20 minutes of driving the pressure was full force all around my head along with the sore feeling in my back n arm and pain on the back of my head where my spine meets my skull area. So I can't wait til Wednesday to go to the chiropractor I was referred to and try out the soft tissue release therapy I'm really hoping it'll help.

You might be right, hopefully you'll get some relief. Do you get headaches with the pressure especially when you exert yourself or do lots of bending down? I get bad headaches whenever I do something, makes me feel like I want to just sit down all the time.

Have a look at Isolated sphenoid sinusitis, see if the symptoms match yours as they are very similar to mine. I'm sure mine is trapped air as it did release a while back but then just came back. It's as if there has been some sort of chemical reaction in my head and my sinus openings have scabbed over lol.

Hey all we'll the tablets are not working at all thought they would but are not this pain behind my eyes is killing me getting me down I'm grumpy as hell kids talk to me I just grunt or I snap for no reason. My doctors are useless and palm me off with basic symptoms when I no it's not. No painkillers work or reduce the pain I'm at my wits end dunno what to do.

So frustrating, I know how you feel. I was totally shocked that they wouldn't scan my head when I fainted for the first time in my life last Thursday because of the pressure and dizziness, not to mention I hit my head hard on a solid step (with actual physical evidence in the form of lumps on my head and a cut), absolute disgrace the NHS. I am being sent for a CT scan but I have to wait to receive a letter, which I haven't had yet and it's been over a week. 

I can't live a normal life at all. I want to go back to the gym as I haven't been for over a year, I am too scared to exercise at all because of the head symptoms and the dizziness. I have horrible pain in my neck too now at the right side. God knows what all this is, but it's not anxiety! And if my doctors try and say it is one more time I am going to complain properly somewhere because this is becoming a joke. My quality of life is practically zero at the moment  

I'm on holiday at the moment so getting by but every day is a massive effort.

Do you feel more light headed when bending over or stooping, that's when it affects me more.

Last doctor I saw said I had something rare, but didn't have a clue. What the heck is this and why won't doctors and specialists investigate it?

There's def something in my head that's blocking sinus or something. Feels it needs someone to go in and poke about and free things up.

This is exactly how I feel too. Bending over gives me major headrushes and standing up I get lightheaded. And always have some level of pressure in head and sinuses. Doctors want to say daily persistent headache, aniety, dehydration, or lack of sleep. Which none are the case. I drink a lot of water, am very active, get plenty of sleep, and have never had aniety in my life. Also this isn't a headache feeling it's something else. I do experience pains in my head but they are not headache pains. I'm 27 and know what a headache feels like. This is not it. Hope this doesn't ruin your holiday hang in there. I find being out and about and detracting myself is the only thing that makes it bearable. Seeing another doctor on Tuesday. Wish me luck.

I have been feeling like this for 2 1/2 years now. I am a 27 year old female. My quality of life is at a zero too compared to what it used to be. This dizzyness and head pressure is debilitating. My neck had a dull pain in the center of it too. I have had all the scans and test and are all normal. I am working with a chiropractor to hopefully give some releif from my neck pain. I will let you know how it goes. I'm sorry to hear you passed out. That had to be really scary. I feel like I am going to daily. Thankfully I haven't yet. I am happy to hear you are ok tho. Let us know how your scan goes. Hopefully it's nothing serious. Hang in there your not alone.

Good luck at doctors, let me know how it goes. I so know how you feel. The headaches are caused by the movement inside the head. I was trying to describe how I feel to someone. You know when you have a headache as it stays with you and after a period of time it goes. What I get is a pressure feeling when I move about that leads to headaches. The headaches can be there one minute then totally gone the next minute, then I move my head in a certain way and headaches back again. My day is a constant up and down battle with different severity of headaches. Quality life is so poor with this. I'm hoping the ENT I'm due to go back to see in 4 weeks investigates this as it seems if they don't understand it they just make something up like Dailey headaches or stress. I've mentioned this before but 7 or 8 weeks back whilst my head pressure was really bad I heard air rushing in my left ear as if it had been trapped and released. Went on for 20-25 seconds, afterwards I felt fine, although the next day it just built up again. It's as if sinus are blocked in area behind nose and the air in there isn't circulating so pressure is different inside the head to outside. Something is causing this and if one of us finds the answer I think we all might benefit. Keep up the fight.

Thanks a lot. Yeah the thought of knowing I am not the only one suffering it is the only thing that makes it feel better to deal with. 

Definitely feels more uncomfortable when I bend forward, I never do it though because it feels too uncomfortable. I just tried it then and it feels like I am doing a full on hand stand, even just slightly bending over. It's weird though because in the back of my head it's constant too

I'm certain we have the same thing, all our symptoms match. Head pressure that causes headaches and light headedness made worse when bending or learning. It's as if when we move our heads something inside moves as well. I know for a fact what we have is fixable, it's just finding an ENT willing to investigate. I think it's sinus related and we have some sort of blockage, maybe in sphenoid sinus cavity as apparently pressure and pain is worse through head movement.

It's so hard to do anything when feign like this. If I sit still for a few minutes the pressure seems to go away, but generally comes back when I get up and walk about. It's weird as my day entails different levels of pressure feeling that leads to different levels of headaches and often leads to feeling light headed.

Is that generally how you feel?

I am so relieved to find this topic. I am so alone and have been to all sorts of doctors the last few years. My quality of life is zero as well.

There is so much to respond to in this thread, such that I don't even know where to begin. It's like a pressure behind the eyes that is bothersome when I read or do any activities with plenty of movement. It doesn't go away.

Bending over gives me headrushes as well - one thing in particular is bending over to grab the clothes out of the washer repeatedly. I tried acupuncture with a chiropractor this week. I've had MRI's, botox, all that.

I have started getting paranoid that maybe I've had anxiety but am only unconsciously aware of it, and somehow that tightens everything in my head or something. I'm grasping at straws, I really don't know anymore. I know that I don't have migraines or headaches. That's what makes this so frustrating. Best of luck at your doc appointment.

I'm sorry to hear all of you are going through pain. I used to think it was just eyestrain, and that rest would help it go away...tried bifocals, vision therapy, different headache/migraine medicines (even though I never believed I had real headaches/migraines), and so far no luck.

For some reason, sitting in front of the computer while doing tasks that don't require much thinking or eye movement doesn't exacerbate my symptoms. Walking around does, and in particular driving in a car and looking out (focusing) makes things worse exponentionally. I don't know if that's just me.

I will look into sphenoid sinus cavity. I don't know much about it. I'm in the USA and have not been to an ENT before (ear, nose, throat doctor)? I will have to see if I can get a referral from my family doctor. I'm glad you mentioned this.

I have different levels of head discomfort that fluctuate during the day depending on what I spend my time doing. Last year, I was drinking sugary drinks because I had no way of coping with it. I stopped that last December.

It's weird, when it gets worse - it feels like something behind my temples or eyes is pushing and pulling.

 

Hi Beebert, I've just been reading through all of your replies lol. We obviously have a simlar if not the same thing. This is what I have learned about my condition.

I have had this for about 5 months now, it started very slowly and I almost didn't notice it and then got very servere, head pressure and bad headaches and dizziness because of this. 5 months ago I also had problems with my eyes, pain on moving them, light sensitivity. Had them tested 3 times and they are fine, just I see more eye floaters now especially when outside in the light.

FOR ME THIS NEXT BIT OF INFORMATION IS THE KEY.

I have found that popping my ears actually helps with a slight reduction in the pressure. About 2 months ago whilst popping my ears, pulling my ear and yawning (opening eustachian tubes basically), I suddenly heard a hissing noise in my left ear, like the sound you would hear if yop had a popped bike tire. Initially I thought it might have been coming out of my ear but I'm not sure now. It seemed like something had released inside my head as if air was escaping from somewhere that had been trapped. After this, I felt great, all the pressure was gone as was the headaches and dizziness. When I leaned over I felt it a tiny bit but all in all I actually felt that whatever it was had unblocked and I was going to be okay. Sadly the next day it started to build up again and within 36 hours the pressure was back.

My theory is that there is a sinus caivity that has somehow become blocked and is trapping air in there. This air can't circulate so cannot equalise with the air pressure outside the head. This is why when MRI and CT scans and done it doesn't show a sinus issue, as the sinus cavities aren't full, I do however think the drainage pathway is blocked.

I can feel the pressure moving around in my head depending on what I do. If I lie on my side I can feel it slowly moving over, if I bend down I can feel it quickly moving forward, this causes light headedness. If I walk upstairs I can feel the pressure more as if because I'm gojng higher affects it. This could explain that it could be trapped air e.g. what happens on a plane.

When I'm driving on flat roads I'm okay, but when going up and down hills I feel it.

The headaches I get aren't as bad now as they used to be, but that's because I only walk now. I hate thgis as I am a fit and active person who went to the gym , played football (soccer) and enjoyed bike riding and running. I'm currently on holiday at the moment but I'm back to work in 10 days so will have to see how I go.

I don't know about you but my day consists of up and down haed pressure and varyiung degree of headaches. This can change from minute to minute, I feel pressing on the back of my neck can ease it for some reason.

I know something is blocked within our heads and its affecting the way air circulates, I'm just hoping doctors and ENTs can figure this out as there are a lot of people out there with this condition and are currently being told it's either stress and anxiety or a daily persistant tension heahache which is total rubbish.

What are your thoughts?

My thoughts are that likely something similar's going on - the symptoms vary with everyone it seems, but the key is the head pressure and how it affects daily activities. It's hard to describe this in words - even when I'm speaking with doctors.  Up and down hills definitely is worse than just flat roads (for walking as well as driving). I've never seen eye floaters, but have had eye problems that made me think it was the eye - focusing, reading. Reading is a chore.

I've also cut down on activities so that things aren't as bad. Last year, I drank a lot of Coca Cola (always hated sodas) and it was just a temporary unhealthy relief. Somehow, that helped - for the pain, not daily activities - while caffeine tablets and regular sugary drinks did not. Stopped and feel healthier now, but it gave me some time to think about what's going on while the pain is numbed.

I played basketball growing up and was active too. I'm a 22 year old guy, and this has been going on dating back several years. I was thinking about the poster who wanted people to bring up things they did to see if there are any overlaps. I thought of how I used to put petroleum jelly (Vaseline brand) in my nostrils when I was a kid (nowadays I use saline sprays) - until controversies came about regarding the safety of it. Thought I'd mention it although it's nothing that might pinpoint anything.

I've been reading through this thread (and still am). On the side of the head, I see that in a picture the sphenoid sinus is pictured near the temples (from the side). There's a picture of the sphenoid sinus in a picture of a face as well, but from the side - it looks like the sphenoid sinus is near where the temple is? That's where I tend to want to rub when I have just done vigorous exercise. Keep in mind I have little knowledge about anatomy (lol).

The sphenoid sinus cavity is deeper in the head behind the bridge of the nose, it is a rare form of sinusitus with different symptoms than the normal. Main symptoms are a facial pressure feeling alongside bad headaches.

The pressure feeling I get comes from behind the bridge of my nose, I feel it the more I move my head. If I look from side to side quickly I feel it and it makes me feel light headed.

Sitting still watching tv I sometimes barely notice it but when I get up to do something back it comes.

I'm hoping one of us gets a doctor or specialist who actually wants to help and find out what this is as it appears at this moment that we have something not yet known.

I know I can't live like this forever so I'll push as much as possible for answers. I'm not settling for having to live with it when I know it can be fixed.

I honestly think it affects your eyes rather than your eyes affecting it as the pressure seems to push on my eyes sometimes and I find I zone out or lose focus.

Well said! That's my mindset too. I'm not going to live with the diagnosis of "Daily Persistent Headache" with no cure. #1. This is not a headache. #2 there is a cure. We just have to find the right doctor to put the prices together. I am on the road to just ruling things out. I am seeing every doctor having every test. Something has to eventually show up or ring a bell. Good luck to everyone. I hope one of us can figure this out.

@new56862: "the pressure seems to push on my eyes sometimes and I find I zone out or lose focus." ------> this 'zoning out and losing focus' is exactly what happens to me too, despite my having 20/20 vision with glasses/contacts on. It's like the words become blurry (because I lose focus - the words may even alternate between blurry and normal), and then the head discomfort gradually comes and gets worse if I don't stop what I'm doing (a feeling that won't go away unless I do a combination of extended breaks and also rest/sleep (and maybe take a shower))

" I feel it the more I move my head. If I look from side to side quickly I feel it and it makes me feel light headed. " ----> same here, and it eventually leads to head symptoms. I can be fine watching TV or a movie, but then I sit down and start reading and it comes back. I had my doubts initially about if we're going through the same thing, but after you expounded I am starting to think what you're going through is closely related to my experiences.

I didn't understand until reading this topic that the pressure may be coming from behind the bridge of the nose...always for some reason suspected "something inside my head that's behind my eyes." It makes sense now that you all mentioned it though.

I am working on what to say to see if I can get a referral to an ENT - and have to ask around for a nearby one. Not sure of what all I can describe in words yet - still need to look up more about this sphenoid sinus cavity. My family knows a few doctors personally, but they are more general physicians than specialists (or other areas of expertise). I'm hoping to find one who wants to find out what's going on too - and actually look into this in depth.

@Thera: I got some acupuncture done on my neck today. I agree and am just ruling different treatments out in their ability to relieve what's going on (alternative treatments, rather). What type of doctor are you seeing next?

Kind thoughts to all of you.

Good on you, I'm going to push all the way. I know for a fact the problem is fixable as I had a brief spell where the pressure released and I felt fine, it obviously needs something to release it for good.

What we all need is the doctor off the tv programme 'House'. He hates not knowing what's wrong and does everything to fine out. So far I've seen about 10 doctors and 2 ENTs. Doctors haven't got a clue, I even print stuff from the web and take it in with me and ask them if they think it could be this. There response is they don't know lol. One doc said I've got something very rare, another one said it's tension migraines, one said my symptoms are undiagnosable. I'm not accepting this.

The ENT I'm seeing now at least wants to look into it, I see her again in 3 weeks and she said I'll get a CT scan if my symptoms are the same, which they will be.

Good luck on your search for the truth and let me know how you are doing. I'm pretty sure if one of us finds an answer it will benefit the rest of us.

I'm glad the chats on here is helping you to understand it better. I think the more you understand about potentially what you have the more information you can give to doctors or ENTs.

For me the pressure seems to be right behind my nose cavity which is why when I move and move my head forward I feel pressure on the bridge of my nose. I'm sat on my phone now with my head looking slightly down typing this message, because of that I can feel pressure on the bridge of my nose. I know that if I sit back in my chair and watch tv for 5 mins the pressure feeling will go, that's if I keep my head still. I also know that when I get up and walk around it will start to come back. I really don't know how anyone can lead a normal life like this, as the fluctuating pressure and headaches it causes makes life so unenjoyable.

Keep us informed on how you are doing and best of luck with getting to the bottom of this.

I always say I need to find a Dr. House! Everyone else just wants to give you a spray or a pill and send you on your way. I have been to nearly 20 different doctors. Not one wanted to stick with me to figure this out. I have a couple appointments later this month. Hope I finally find a doc that will care.

How are you guys feeling in the morning? I wake up

everyday with a hungover feeling. I don't drink anymore because it exasperates my head symptoms. I drink plenty of water so it's not dehydration. It's just this tight pain and pressure feeling throughout my head every morning. It tends to ease a little after I get up.

I am frustrated we have all had this for so long with no clues to what is causing it. I was in my third year of college when this happened. I have taken three years off to try and conquer this. I just registered for the fall semester of school. I can't put my life on hold anymore. No matter the pain and struggle. I work full time and now will be going to school again and in my free time I will continue seeing doctors.

Good luck to you with your CT scan I hope there is nothing major. But hope there is a clue. Let's us know how it goes. It's comforting knowing we are not in this alone. We are all out there searching.

Hey 2beebert,

I had acupuncture done last year. Didn't see any releif think I needed to stick with it longer. Will give it a go after I'm done with my Chiropactor sessions. I see a chiropractor once a week and do exercises at home too. Haven't helped yet but he said it could be a couple months before I felt better. I am seeing a new General Practitioner in a couple weeks. I'll see if he can make sense of all my symptoms. I have seen many before and they wanted nothing to do with me. They sent me to ENTs and Neurologist who sent me to Headache Specialist. None of which helped.

How do you feel when you wake up? I feel hungover w/o having any alcohol. And fully hydrated. It's worse first thing upon waking for me. It can be a roller coaster all day ranging anywhere from a 3-10. I try to focus on what makes it worse or better but it doesn't seem to have a rhythm. I am also seeing a new allergist next week. I seen one last year and I came back with a shellfish allergy. I don't eat seafood anymore so it's not that. Just trying to rule things out again.

What were your ENT appointments like? I've never been to one, so I don't know what to expect... Neurologists have sent me to headache specialists (or referred me to inpatient headache clinics - Cleveland is the nearby one) because they didn't know what to do either.

When I went to the ENTs I have now seen 5 over the last couple years. They listened to my symptoms and then did scans. They also put the scope down my nose. All showing I have clear sinuses. I could have sworn it was sinus pressure especially because elevation and barometric pressure changes affect me. I asked them to go ahead and do a sinuplasty to rule out any sinus issues. They didn't recommend one but said it wouldn't hurt to try it. I do have smaller sonics cavities than usual so opening them up with the surgery wasn't a bad idea. I had that done almost a year ago now. It don't help at all. It's weird I am still congested a lot and my ears still hurt and I feel like I'm having sinus pressure etc. I just had another ENT scan last month to make sure everything still looked good and it came back normal. I do recommend to get a CT scan. At least you can tell doctors it's not that.

Hi. I'm currently seeing my third ENT and after having an MRI scan I bern told I can have a CT scan if my symptoms don't improve. I see you have gone down the sinus route with no luck so far. I to find elevation increases symptoms. Have you tried popping your ears by holding your nostrils shut and gently blowing? I find this helps relieve the pressure a little bit.

I don't have Eustachian tube dysfunction but for some reason it helps. I'm wondering what in the anatomy of the head is near the Eustachian tube and by expanding the tube does it somehow force trapped air out? I know what we have is some kind of trapped air, that's why nothing shows on scans. As I've said before a few times on here, whilst popping my ears the pressure totally released and I heard the hissing of the release in my left ear for 20+ seconds. I felt fine for a day or so before it built back up.

More evidence that it's air pressure is the fact that elevation affects us. Like altitude when on a plane as the air inside your ear does not balance with the air outside your head. I feel it's like a constant battle all say long as if the trapped air inside my head cannot equalise with air outside. Only question would be, where and how is it getting trapped oh and how the heck can it get sorted.

I have tried popping my ears but nothing happens. I am nervous to blow to hard tho. It feels like trapped air but nothing comes out and it feels like I will rupture the drum if i blow any harder.

Right now I have no pressure in my ears. Just pain flares all over my head. But there is a tightness all around my head too. It almost feels like it's moving. There is a little pressure on the top of my head. It's strange how it changes but for the most part it's just a handful of sensations at different levels at different times.

Like yesterday I had super bad pressure in my ears and entire head but no pains. Today I have bad pains with little pressure. But there is always this fuzzy, almost styrofoam feeling in my head.

What's going on?!

Sorry for rambling it's just nice to get it all out. My boyfriend is the only one I can talk to about this. My family knows but they live far away and a couple friends know but they don't understand so I don't talk about it. I'm sure you all can relate. Wish me luck at the Allergist tomorrow. This is only the second allergist I have seen. Maybe he will understand some of this. Fingers crossed but hopes not given up.

Good luck to everyone.

Hey how'd it go at allergist?

I think I remember you saying you had your sinus pathways cleared and it didn't help. Did that include the Sphenoid sinus cavity?

It's strange how it moves about but I suppose that's gravity, mine generally goes in relation to head position.

It's constantly changing, sometimes I get more pain behind eyes, then nose, occasionally back of head. Facial pressure is uncomfortable and can be quite painful as if a ballon was being inflated inside my head, this causes headaches, generally on forehead.

Hi mate I have a daily bad head also, has yours got any better? Found anything that helps? Do u have many hobbies interests? I find trying not to focus on my head helps but of course that's hard to do. Mike from wolvo

Try cutting caffiene out your diet completely, it really helped me. Also exercising more is a important bit too

Hi joe, ok I will try cutting out caffeine, I believe mine is due to anxiety although with all the same symptons as most on here is does sometimes feel like it's more than anxiety, but I'm sure high amounts of stress triggered mine, I had a big panic attack about 3 years ago and haven't managed to fully recover from it, but I find keeping busy helps, I gamble for a living so do a lot of travelling around the uk which I feel helps me, btw it's not my job that I find stressful, because I know people would presume that

Have you seen an otologist (inner ear doctor). I have had holes in the canals if the inner ear. Causes a lot of similar symptoms. Check out SCD (superior canal dehiscence). There are all kinds of inner ear problems that cause dizziness and imbalance. Otologists are not many. People forget about the inner ear. It will be worth the trip to one.